DTC 375: Language, Texts and Technology
Dr. Dene Grigar
Email: dgrigar@vancouver.wsu.edu
Office: VMMC 211A (The Skybox)
Office Hours: M: 12-1 p.m., W: 5-6 p.m.; F: 10-11 a.m.
Office Phone: 360-546-9487
Class Web Site: http://dtc-wsuv.org/375/Welcome.html
COURSE SUMMARY
DTC 375 Language, Texts, and Technology explores “the relationship between technology and communication;
writing [re: authoring] practices from a historical point of view” (WSU Catalog). It is understood in this context
(since DTC 375 is a Core 1 course for a digital media program) that these three concepts refer
specifically to computer language, computer-based texts, and computer technology.
Course Materials

Douglas Rushkoff. Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age. OR Books,
978-1-935928-15-7. $20.

Paul Ceruzzi. Computing: A Concise History. The MIT Press. ISBN-10:0-262-51767-1. $12.

N. Katherine Hayles. How We Think: Digital Media & Contemporary Technogenesis. U of
Chicago Press, 978-0-226-32142-4. $25.

Nick Montfort et al. 10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10. ISBN: 978-0-262-01846-3. $30.
ASSESSMENT
Student assessment will be based on attendance, class participation, projects as follows:
Attendance/Class Participation
Project 1
Project 2:
Project 3:
Project 4:
Project 5:
Grading
Grading is calculated as follows:
A
94-100
A90-93
B+
88-89
B
84-87
B80-83
C+
78-79
C
74-77
C70-76
F
Below 70
20%
15%
15%
15%
20%
15%
Attendance
Attendance is required. Every two days of unexcused absence results in final grade being lowered by one letter
grade. University policy regarding excused illness is followed.
Participation
It is obvious when students do not come to class prepared or do not participate in class. Coming to class having
read the material, taking notes when appropriate, contributing to class discussion, showing up with assignments
ready to go, turning in assignments on time, and attending the time set aside for the final exam are expected.
Doing homework for another class or fooling around on email or Facebook, etc. means you are not participating
in class. You will be asked to leave the class if you are not prepared or not participating.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This course specifically addresses three of the 10 goals established for the Digital Technology and Culture
degree. Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:
•
Appreciate the history of technological development, from local to global perspectives, and its
implications for a variety of mediums (DTC Goal 8).
•
Recognize various forms of language processing and their implications for media authoring (DTC Goal 7).
•
Be practiced and capable communicators in all media (DTC Goal 10).
Students will develop these competencies through a combination of assigned readings, individual and group
projects, peer-to-peer learning, class lectures and interaction, and hands on media content creation.
At the end of this course, Course topics that
This outcome will be
students should be able address these learning evaluated primarily
to:
outcomes:
by :
University Learning
Goals
CMDC Learning Goals &
Objectives
1. Critical &
Creative Thinking
Define, analyze, and
solve problems.
Philosophical
Grounding
Assess the accuracy and Technology
validity of findings and
conclusions.
Texts
Understand how one
thinks, reasons, and
makes value judgments,
including ethical and
aesthetical judgments.
Combine and synthesize
existing ideas, images, or
expertise in original
ways.
Think, react, and work in Language
an imaginative way
characterized by a high
degree of innovation,
divergent thinking, and
Net Culture
risk taking.
Integrate and synthesize
knowledge from multiple
sources.
Assigned Exercises: Goal 8 Appreciate the history of
technological development,
from local to global
perspectives, and its
implications for a variety of
mediums
Research into
author and texts
assigned
Synthesis paper of
all texts read for the
course
Production of iBook
for the course;
multimedia
created/selected for
iBook
4. Information
Literacy
Determine the extent Development of an Development of a Goal 7 Recognize various
and type of information iBook for the course audio project book forms of language processing
needed.
using Audacity
and their implications for
Production/selection
media authoring
Implement wellof multimedia
Creation of a video
designed search
content for the iBook project using Final
strategies.
to reflect readings Cut
Goal 8 Appreciate the history
and ideas
of technological
Access information
Production of a
development, from local to
effectively and
Group discussion via graphic novel
global perspectives, and its
efficiently from
Facebook and
using Comic Life implications for a variety of
multiple sources.
Twitter
mediums
Assess credibility and
applicability of
information sources.
Use information to
accomplish a specific
purpose.
5.
Communication
Preparation for
giving a formal
presentation
Recognize how
Access
and use
circumstances,
information
background,ethically
values,
and
legally.
interests, and needs
Interacting with
shape communication guest speakers (i.e.
sent and received.
Douglas Rushkoff)
Formal
presentation
Production of an
iBook
Five written
Tailor messages to the Working in teams on assignments
audience.
projects
Express concepts
Production of bios,
propositions, and
summaries and other
beliefs in coherent,
forms of writing for
concise, and technically each assigned text
correct form.
Writing for social
Choose appropriate
media
communication
medium and
technology.
Speak with comfort in
front of groups.
Follow social norms for
individual and small
group interactions,
which includes listening
actively.
Goal 10 Be practiced and
capable communicators in all
mediums
7. Depth,
Breadth, and
Integration of
Learning
Through study in the
sciences and
mathematics, social
sciences, humanities,
histories, languages,
and the arts.
Looking at the each Final presentation
of the three areas— Research project
language, text, and Participation in
technology—in
discussions
detail as they move
from print-based to
electronic contexts,
By showing a depth of as well as bringing
knowledge within the them all together
chosen academic field into the single lens
of study based on
of human expression
integration of its
history, core methods,
techniques, vocabulary,
and unsolved
problems.
Goal 8 Appreciate the history
of technological
development, from local to
global perspectives, and its
implications for a variety of
mediums
By applying the
concepts of the general
and specialized studies
to personal, academic,
service learning,
professional, and/or
community activities.
By understanding how
the methods and
Writing Resources concepts of the chosen
discipline relate to
Writing represents thinking. You are expected, at this point in your academic career, to write at the college
those of other
level. Please take care with your work. All students are encouraged to take advantage of the Writing Center.
disciplines and by
possessing the ability
Deadlines
to engage
cross-noted. Late assignments will not be accepted.
Assignments due by start
of class,inunless
disciplinary activities.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY / PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism (claiming another person’s work as your own) or fabricating research will not be tolerated. Anyone
who submits false work, violates the academic integrity policy or cheats in any other way, will fail the
assignment in question and possibly the course as well as be reported to the school’s administration, the Office
of Student Conduct, for further discipline, including possible expulsion.
Some students may not be clear on what constitutes plagiarism, here is a breakdown of the various types:
1. Failing to use proper citation style for material you borrow, accidentally. (This constitutes either a
Category A or B offense).
2. Cutting and pasting parts of a webpage or borrowing passages from a book for your paper without
properly citing these parts and claiming the material as your own for the expressed intent of cheating.
(This constitutes a Category C offense).
3. Buying papers, borrowing papers, or recycling former papers unrevised and claiming these types of
papers as your own for your assignment in this course. (This constitutes a Category C offense).
Here is the how plagiarism is dealt with the first time a student is caught:
Category A: Sloppiness. Automatic “0” on paper, with option to rewrite for no better than a “C”
Category B: Ignorance. Automatic “0” on paper, with option to rewrite for no better than a “C”
Category C: Obvious Conscious Cheating. Automatic “0” on paper, with no option for rewriting
Students caught plagiarizing a second time will be asked to leave the class and will receive an automatic “0” in
the course.
Academic integrity is the cornerstone of the university and will be strongly enforced in this course. For
additional information about WSUV’s Academic Integrity policy / procedures contact 360-546-9781.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION
Accommodations may be available if you need them in order to fully participate in this class because of a
disability. Accommodations may take some time to implement, so it is critical that you contact Disability Services
as soon as possible. All accommodations must be approved through Disability Services, located in the Student
Resource Center on the lower level of the Student Services Center 360-546-9138.
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
WSU has made an emergency notification system available for faculty, students and staff. Please register at
myWSU with emergency contact information (cell, email, text, etc). You may have been prompted to complete
emergency contact information when registering for classes on RONet. In the event of a building evacuation, a
map at each classroom entrance shows the evacuation point for each building. Please refer to it. Finally, in case
of class cancellation campus-wide, please check local media, the WSU Vancouver web page and/or
http://www.flashalert.net/. Individual class cancellations may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Each
individual is expected to make the best decision for their personal circumstances, taking safety into account.